Benjamin J Baer

Benjamin J Baer

• Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, PC
  One Liberty Place
  1650 Market St. 52nd Flr
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
• 215.496.8282 Work
• (215) 496-0999 Work
• bbaer@smbb.com Workbbaer@smbb.com Other
• Website

Professional Experience

Ben Baer is a personal injury attorney who focuses on helping catastrophically injured clients. He has successfully handled cases involving construction and workplace accidents, auto and crashworthiness accidents, aerial lift tip overs, electrical accidents, and defective or malfunctioning products. Ben has obtained significant seven, eight, and nine-figure verdicts and settlements, with recoveries totaling nearly $300 million.

In 2018, Ben was a vital part of the team that obtained an unprecedented $160,000,000 record settlement for individuals burnt and killed in the Philadelphia Food Truck Explosion. The tragedy was caused when an over-filled propane cylinder ruptured. Flames shot more than 200 feet into the air. One individual represented by Ben and SM&B received more than $69.17 million. This is the largest individual pre-verdict settlement in the history of Pennsylvania state court.

In 2016, Ben was instrumental in securing what was at that time, the largest reported settlement for a single plaintiff in the history of Philadelphia County. Ben fought diligently for his client, a landscape worker who was rendered quadriplegic after an auto accident because those responsible for maintaining his work truck failed to remove dangerous tires. The case resulted in a $26.55 million recovery.

Ben has been named to Pennsylvania’s “Top 40 under 40” by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Membership into the “Top 40 under 40” is by invitation only and is extended exclusively to an elite group of the top trial attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications as a young trial lawyer. Ben has also been recognized as a Rising Star in the annual Pennsylvania SuperLawyers ratings. This peer-selected honor is reserved for the top 2.5 percent of all Pennsylvania attorneys under 40 years old.

After graduating with honors with an LLM from the nationally-ranked Temple University Beasley School of Law Trial Advocacy program, Ben was invited to join Temple’s faculty. He currently lectures in the program and teaches both JD and LLM students.

In 2020, Ben was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Pennsylvania Civil Rules Committee, which assists the Supreme Court in the preparation, revision, publication and administration of the rules of civil procedure. Ben also serves on the Board of Governors for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice. Ben is a proud member of the University of Pennsylvania Law School Inn of Court, the Pennsylvania Society, and the Brandeis Law Society.

Ben volunteers his time to working as Judge Pro Temp for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. At the request of the Court, Ben works with opposing counsel to mediate pending cases and also attempts to resolve discovery disputes. Ben also handles cases on a pro bono basis defending Philadelphians who have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic from eviction.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Ben came to Philadelphia in 2007. He now lives in South Philly with his wife and three kids.

Education

• • Temple University Beasley School of Law

    Class of 2016
    LLM. Trial Advocacy, with Honors · Philadelphia · PA

• • University of Pittsburgh School of Law

    Class of 2007
    JD. John P. Gismondi Civil Lit Certificate Program · Pittsburgh · PA

• • University of Michigan

    Class of 2003
    BA. Major: Political Science. Minor: Global Media Studies · Ann Arbor · MI

• • Mt. Lebanon High School

    Class of 1999
    Pittsburgh · PA